Classic, Old School Spaghetti and Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Folks, this is the recipe that started it all. I started working on this recipe in probably 1998 or so, and in 2020, I’m still tweaking it a bit. Whether it’s my children, other family, or friends, I get more requests for this meal than any other. I’ve taught this to multiple people who still use it over the years (albeit without my current tweaks).
This recipe is so easy! It does take a bit of time to simmer on the stove top for best flavor, so I recommend making this whenever you have a bit of time (this is a Sunday dinner staple in my house), but it takes so little active time. I’ve actually completed this entire recipe in one hour before, but I’d allow at least two hours for the sauce to simmer and build flavor.
The first step is to get the sauce simmering. First, we’re going to dice some onion and garlic and get those sweating in olive oil and some salt. The salt will bring the moisture out of the vegetables via osmosis (thank you high school chemistry!) and will actually help prevent them from burning. Plus, we’ll be adding salt later, so might as well do some now. I prefer to use my enamel-coated Dutch oven for this because it’s large and heats so evenly, but a large sauce pan or stock pot will also work just as well.
After that, the wine! Whatever wine you’re going to drink with dinner (I like a nice Chianti or syrah, but any dry, red wine will work), add about 2-3 ounces of it to the onions and garlic when they’re translucent and bring to a boil. Wine does a few things for us:
- Adds some wine flavor, always good!
- Stops the cooking process for the onion and garlic, preventing them from burning once added.
- And helps to dissolve and disperse flavors. Substances dissolve in one of three media: oil, water, and alcohol. We have olive oil already, and wine adds the water and alcohol, maximizing our flavor distribution.
(A note when cooking with wine: the vast majority of the alcohol will cook out, but not all of it. Three ounces of wine in a huge batch of sauce isn’t anything I’m worried about serving to even my children, but if you have personal reasons to avoid any alcohol, then feel free to skip this step).
Next, the tomatoes. I like using a large can of tomato sauce (I like Hunt’s, but any brand works) and a large can of whole San Marzano tomatoes. You may have heard of these before, and the hype is real. San Marzano tomatoes are less acidic than other varieties, so the sauce tends to be more balanced when using San Marzano tomatoes. I’ve also used two cans of San Marzano before but found it lacked acid, so one of each is what I prefer, but feel free to experiment with it (I do!). Add those along with some dried Italian seasoning, salt (an exact measurement isn’t possible since the tomatoes you use may have more or less salt, but start with a teaspoon or so), black pepper, and a bit of crushed red pepper flakes (enough to wake the sauce up a bit but not enough to make it hot by any stretch).
I recommend using an immersion blender (stick blender) to break down all the whole tomatoes. A cheap stick blender will last you a long time and be a huge convenience. Cover and let simmer for at least an hour, stirring occasionally so the sauce doesn’t stick or burn.
Next, we’ll prep the meatballs. First, beat an egg in a mixing bowl. This adds some moisture and acts as a binder to help hold everything together. Next, add your garlic, meat, salt, pepper, Parmesan, bread crumbs, and parsley. Mix by hand until everything is mixed together. If you mix too much, the meatballs will get an almost-spongy texture, kinda like meatloaf. Cover and set aside for at least 30 minutes.
When you’re about 45-60 minutes away from wanting to eat, then it’s time to start cooking the meatballs. Heat a heavy pan (cast iron if you can) over medium-high heat and add some canola oil when it’s hot. Why canola and not olive oil here? Canola has a higher smoke point, so it will tolerate the extra heat we need here.
While that’s warming up, make some meatballs! Any size you want is fine; I usually make them about 1 inch in diameter or so, and that gives me roughly 25 or so.
When the oil is ready (about 375-400 F if you have a thermometer to measure it), start adding the meatballs. Be sure to not crowd the pan, leaving at least a half inch of space between each meatball (you’ll likely need to work in batches). Saute on all sides until nice and crusty, about 2 minutes each side, and add to the sauce to finish cooking (poaching) in the tomato sauce. These will need to cook for about 15-20 minutes, which is the perfect amount of time to cook our spaghetti!
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the spaghetti and some olive oil (this does not keep the pasta from sticking, but rather reduces the surface tension of the water, reducing boil-overs), and cook for 10-11 minutes or so, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking. Reserve some of the pasta water, then drain.
We are almost done! Once you start cooking the spaghetti, add the fresh parsley, basil, and butter to the tomato sauce. Fresh herbs do best when added towards the end of the cooking process, whereas dried herbs need to be added sooner so they can re-hydrate a bit. The butter will give a nice, silky sheen to your sauce, plus a bit more flavor. When the pasta is done, add some of the pasta water to get your desired consistency, and taste.
I often get asked, what are you doing as you taste? Well, the first thing is salt; does it need more and hopefully not less? Next, I’m tasting for acid; if the sauce is too tangy, add a small bit of sugar, starting with one teaspoon or so, and see if that helps; sometimes the sauce doesn’t need any but normally will need 1-2 teaspoons. Then I’m tasting for pepper and herbs; adjust as needed.
Let’s eat! Put some pasta on a plate or bowl, ladle some tomato sauce and 3-4 meatballs or so, top with some freshly-grated Parmigiano Reggiano (the good stuff, not the green can stuff), maybe some additional crushed red pepper if you like it a bit spicier, and enjoy!
Riffs
- Sauce. Modifying the vegetables you saute will add a bit of flair to it for sure. You can add carrots and celery for a more french style, celery and bell pepper for Cajun, or maybe some bell pepper and jalapenos for a Southwest flair. The wine you use will make a small difference. I generally just find the wine I want to drink that evening and sacrifice a few ounces of it for the cause. You can also add different dried herbs, some fresh basil with the parsley, or some additional crushed red pepper if you want some heat. For something really out there, I learned this trick from Chef Roy Choi on The Chef Show: boil 8oz of mushrooms in 2 cups of water for 30 minutes, uncovered, then discard the mushrooms and add the broth to the sauce. It’s different, but really delicious.
- Meatballs. The easiest way to modify this is to change the different proteins. Beef has that raw, meaty flavor, and pork tends to lighten a bit and add some sweetness, so they’re my go-to. All beef is also fine, and I’ve done a third each of beef, pork, and veal, which adds a delicate tenderness. Lamb can add some earthiness, and even venison can add some unique flavors. Or you can sub out the ground pork for Italian sausage (sweet or hot, up to you) for a richer flavor.
- Cheese. Parmigiano Reggiano is the classic. Mixing it with Pecorino Romano will add a bit more tang. Of course, you can also cover the plate in mozzarella and melt under the broiler for a spaghetti and meatball bake!
Equipment
For anyone interested in the main equipment used here, please see below. I may receive a small commission if you buy through the links below, but I’m not paid to endorse or anything like that. Unless otherwise noted, this is the equipment I have and used for this recipe.
- Lodge Enameled Dutch Oven. I received this as a Christmas present from my mom in 2018 I believe. I’m amazed I lived without it. It’s amazing. I use it 2-3 times per week. It’s heavy, so it has even heating and retains heat well, and the enamel coating is very nonstick and super easy to clean. If you have a gas range, invert the lid, and you have a nice cast iron saute pan as well! It takes up some space, but I couldn’t recommend this more.
- Immersion blender. The one I use is 15+ years old, so I couldn’t find that particular model for sale anywhere, but the one below is about as close as I could find. So far, I haven’t found a need to get a pricey one, but let me know if you think I should.
- Lodge Cast Iron Skillet. The OG. Heavy, durable, and inexpensive, this is a great entry-level cast iron skillet that I’ve had for 10+ years.
Spaghetti with Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Equipment
- Immersion (stick) blender, optional
Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 whole white onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- salt about 2 teaspoons
- 3 oz red wine
- 1 28 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 28 oz can whole tomatoes San Marzano preferred
- 2 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp black pepper
- .5 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1-2 tsp sugar as needed
- 1/2 c Italian parsley chopped
- 2 tbsp butter chopped into pieces
- .5 c reserved pasta water as needed
Meatballs
- 1 egg beaten
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- 16 oz ground beef 80/20
- 16 oz Italian sausage hot or mild
- salt to taste, about 1 tsp
- pepper to taste, about 1 tsp
- 1/2 c Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 c seasoned bread crumbs
- 1/2 c Italian parsley chopped
- 1/4 c Canola oil
Spaghetti
- 1 pot salted, boiling water
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 lb spaghetti dried
- Parmigiano Reggiano freshly grated
Instructions
Tomato Sauce
- Saute onions and garlic in pot with some salt until soft and translucent.
- Add red wine and bring to a boil.
- Add both cans tomatoes, Italian seasoning, pepper and crushed red pepper.
- Blend sauce with immersion blender (optional).
- Simmer, stirring occasionally, for at least one hour. Add water if sauce gets too thick.
- Taste, adjust seasoning and add water as necessary. If sauce is too acidic, add a teaspoon at a time of sugar to balance.
- About 10 minutes before serving, add chopped parsley and butter to sauce
- Add reserved pasta water (below) as needed for desired consistency.
Meatballs
- Combine egg, garlic, beef, pork, salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, and Italian parsley in large mixing bowl, mix by hand until incorporated (do not overmix)
- Rest covered for at least 30 minutes (can do longer, place in refrigerator as needed)
- Preheat pan (cast iron recommended) on medium high heat. While pan is preheating, ortion into meatballs, approximately 1 inch in diameter, will net around 25 meatballs.
- Add canola oil to pan. Working in batches as needed, saute meatballs on all sides until browned but not cooked through, transfer to tomato sauce to finish cooking.
Spaghetti
- Bring large pot of salted water to a boil
- Add spaghetti and olive oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until spaghetti is done, approximately 10-11 minutes.
- Drain pasta, reserving some of the pasta water (1/2 cup or so).
- Add spaghetti to plate, add some sauce and 3-4 meatballs, top with grated Parmigiano Reggiano